The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem – A Radical Historical Account by Leading Biblical Scholars

Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan present a day-by-day account of Jesus's final week in Jerusalem, using the Gospel of Mark as their guide. They begin on Palm Sunday with two contrasting triumphal entries into the city: the first by Roman governor Pontius Pilate leading soldiers, symbolizing military strength, and the second by Jesus riding on a humble donkey, representing a new kind of moral hero. Borg and Crossan portray Jesus as a more dangerous figure than traditional church teachings present—one who gave up his life to protest power without justice and to condemn the wealthy for their lack of concern for the poor. At the end of the week, Jesus marches to Calvary, offering himself as a model for others facing similar moral confrontations. The authors address gaps in Christian understanding of these events, presenting what they describe as a historical account of Jesus that engages readers and invites them to follow him.